Until I Met You
by StorybrookeGal
Summary: Emma Swan was your typical princess in the Enchanted Forest. She was the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White; meaning that she had a lot of expectations to live up to. That was until she met him. The man who would change her life forever. #CaptainSwan
1. Chapter 1

_**Writer's Note: I'm trying out a new fanfic with Hook and Emma. Let me know what you think by reviewing and if I should continue this story. I have the next few chapters already typed up in case that I do continue. Enjoy the story!**_

**Chapter 1**

Emma Swan was your typical princess in the Enchanted Forest. She was the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White; meaning that she had a lot of expectations to live up to. Her parents expected her to become the next Queen when they passed the crown on to her. Deep down, Emma was not ready to become Queen yet. She was only in her early twenties. She wanted to go on adventures and to see the world; not worry about her duties when she became Queen or who her potential husband could be. Thankfully her parents would never put her in an arranged marriage situation. They had told her their stories from their past of how they almost never got together because of their stepparents. They knew that the best thing was to never allow Emma to experience the same situation when she met the right one. For Emma, love was the last thing on her mind. She was hardly allowed outside of the castle unaccompanied without her parents or a guard. She was very protected; but she understood why. There was still danger lurking in the kingdom. King George, the Evil Queen, giants, dark wizards, and more. Charming and Snow just wanted to keep her safe and not lose her.

There was one afternoon where Emma had enough. Her parents had left the previous day for business travels. The castle was completely empty and eerily quiet. There was hardly anything for her to do around the castle. She could go horse-back riding, but she was still taking lessons from her father. She did not feel brave enough to attempt riding her horse without him nearby. Emma put her messenger bag over her shoulder and placed a few items inside: a drawn out map of the village outside of the castle and a small sack of doubloons to purchase the items on her list. She put the Swan necklace around her neck, the one her parents gave her as a birthday present when she was young, and she put her hooded cloak on; she was ready. Sneaking around the castle came natural to her. Emma had the stealth skills that Snow obtained. She knew the castle inside and out so if there was a guard or servant nearby, she would be able to hide or go another route towards her exit.

After a few secretive maneuvers, Emma quietly sneaked out of the back entrance to the castle and walked along the edges of the forest to stay hidden from sight. If a guard had spotted her, she would never hear the end of it from her parents of how unsafe and idiotic it was to leave the castle without someone by her side. Her heart was beating fast from disobeying them. All she knew was that she needed to get to the village and back to the castle as quickly as she could. The blonde reached into her bag and pulled out the map as she walked towards the village. It did not take long before she reached the edge of the small town. She walked down the main street, blending in with a simple dress that she typically wore on days like today where she had no princess duties to worry about. Her eyes glanced between both sides of the street and took in all of the sights. There was a flower shop with some of the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. The roses and lilies were always a favorite to her. Not too much farther down the street was a fabric shop; her first stop. She walked inside and ran her fingers over the soft fabrics on the shelves. There were several patterns that she could choose from. She settled on a pale blue damask pattern and got the correct measurements so her seamstress could help her put together a dress for her. Emma exited the fabric shop while placing the fabric in her bag when a scent attracted her attention. It was a bakery with a heavenly scent. She crossed the street and entered the shop. Her eyes scanned over the delicious looking pastries that the kind baker gratefully filled her in on what each of them was. There were so many that she had a difficult time picking just one. The baker saw her trouble with choosing and handed her a small box. He told her to choose a few pastries that she wanted to try most. She gave a thankful nod and placed a few macaroons and other cream filled desserts in her box. Emma could hardly help her grumbling stomach and also purchased a freshly baked baguette. She stood outside of the baker and placed the box of pastries in her now almost filled up bag as she tried to figure out a way to get the piece of bread inside also. At the corner of her eye, she saw a couple of kids looking into the bakery. She looked over at them and she could tell they were going hungry. Emma broke the baguette into thirds and bent down to their level. She gave two of the pieces to the kids and smiled when she saw their wide and grateful smiles. Emma stood back up and began her walk back to the castle. The sun would be setting soon and she needed to get back.

Emma walked past the pub and did not notice the mysterious stranger lurking in the shadows of the alleyway. She was too busy snacking on her piece of bread to notice that he was now following her with a friend of his. She had just gotten out of the village and into the outskirts of the forest when the sound of a stick breaking sent chills down her back. Their presence was now known to her as she quickened her walking. With one glance over her shoulder, she looked forward and began running to escape them. She could see the castle in view. She was almost there. Suddenly, she saw one of the men appear in the forest ahead of her; he was faster than her. Emma looked behind her and saw the other man was catching up. She looked around for a way to escape. Emma thought about the stories her mother told her of when she was a bandit surviving in the forest. A thought popped into her head as she ran in the opposite direction of the men. She could hear them running after her as she found a tree that could hide her in the treetops. Emma climbed up into the tree and disappeared from sight. She stilled her movements to keep her hiding spot unknown. She could see the men below through a break in the leaves. They were looking everywhere for any sign of her before they decided on a direction. Once she made sure that they were gone, she carefully climbed down from the tree and hurried towards the castle. She almost made it out of the forest when all of a sudden; a net lifted her off of the ground and into the air. The two men appeared below her, laughing that they caught her. Emma put up a fight to defend herself when they lowered her. They were stronger than her and held her still. She could feel them typing her hands behind her back and a handkerchief placed over her mouth. Emma continued to struggle in an attempt to get away. Deep down, she knew there was no way that she was going to get out of this situation. She could hear her parent's voices in her head saying that they told her so and how much trouble she was going to be in.

The next thing that she knew, the two men had carried her towards the docks in a bag. She could hear them call for their Captain to come see what treasure they had found. Her instincts told her that they had recognized her as the princess. Her heart was racing as she thought about what could happen to her. What were these people capable of? Who was their Captain? Would there be any way possible to get home or be rescued? Her thoughts were interrupted as she was dumped out of the bag and onto the floor. Emma looked around to see that she was on a ship. The crew members that had gathered were laughing and cheering over their shipmates' finding. She saw at the corner of her eye, two black leather shoes walk closer to her. Emma looked up to see a man, who she presumed was their Captain. His outfit was made entirely of black clothing; black leather pants, a black shirt with a black vest, and a large black coat. He had dark brown hair, mustache, beard, and blue eyes that matched the color of the sea. He wore several jewels to accent his appearance. She suddenly realized that she must have been on a pirate ship. Her fear was growing as she recalled stories she heard about the pirates on the outskirts of the kingdom. He was looking down at her and looking her over. Her fear apparently amused him.

"What do we have here, mates?" he said as he chuckled along with his shipmates. It was Killian Jones; also known as his colorful nickname, Captain Hook.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Emma moved around so that she could sit up since her hands were still tied. Hook's presence was almost intimidating to her. She could tell by how he acted that he truly was a pirate. What caught her attention was the hook where his left hand should be. She wanted to know what happened; but she knew deep down that now was not the time to press the issue. The blonde princess was surrounded by a crew of pirates. It would be difficult to escape without getting caught.

"We found her sneaking out of her castle and into the village. We believe we found the Princess." One of the two men who caught her spoke up to inform his Captain. He looked proud for his accomplishment. Emma thought that they must want something in exchange for her return.

"The Princess? Ah, well done, mates! We can finally get the pardon we have been working for!" Killian cheered and celebrated with his shipmates. Emma was right about her instincts. They did want something in exchange for her. But what pardon? What did her parents have against the pirates that kept them from living in the kingdom? "Raise the mast and let's set sail. We have a lot to do to make sure that we don't mess up this opportunity. Tie the princess to the mast."

Emma was roughly picked up by the two men who snatched her before and led her to the main mast in the center of the ship. The ropes were wrapped around her and tied to where she could hardly move a muscle. She watched Hook walk onto the main deck to the steering wheel to steer them out of the harbor and out to sea. Hook looked back to make sure that his mates had finished preparing the ship before he led them away. He looked at her with a sincere look in his eyes while no one was looking. That was an odd action for even a pirate to do. Emma knew that she was getting kidnapped, but the look coming from Hook told her different. It was almost as if he was letting her know that she was not going to get hurt and she would be safe. She could read emotions that people gave. Maybe there was more to Captain Hook than she realized.

They sailed through the rest of the night until they reached a large island. Emma did not recognize it. She overheard one of the men call it Neverland. She did not know where she was, or even how her parents would react to her disappearance when they return home in a couple of days. She would never be allowed out of their sight again, if she ever made it home. Killian's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Escort our guest to our camp. The prisoner tent will do her well for the night." Killian said as he instructed his crew members on what to do with her. One of them, who was wearing a red cap, untied the ropes around her waist and led her to their camp. She observed the area they walked through. There were well structured cabins that blended in with the setting. There was a cabin where several of the crew members swarmed to. Two wenches were seen inside serving food and what looked like alcoholic beverages to them. She looked ahead and saw a structure larger than the others. Above the door was a sign that said "Captain's Quarters." That must be where Hook stays. Just outside of camp was a cave. As they walked inside, there were torches on the walls that lit up the area. At the end of the cave, Emma saw that they had built a cell. There were bars that were secured from the ceiling to the floor. Inside the cell was a bed made out of a stack of hay. There were blankets on top along with a pillow.

"At least they are considerate pirates," Emma thought to herself as the door was opened for her. She was gently pushed inside as the crew member shut the door behind her and locked it.

"The Captain wishes to speak with you." He turned and left the cave as Hook entered momentarily after. Hook looked Emma over and noticed she was still frightened.

"You don't have to fear us. I may be a pirate, but I am not dastardly. Turn around." Hook said to her. Emma was a bit hesitant at first until he repeated it again. "Turn around." Hook reached through the cell bars and cut the ropes around Emma's hands with his hook. He reached up and also cut through the handkerchief around her mouth. He tossed them aside and looked directly at her again. "What's your name?"

Emma was grateful that he got the rope and handkerchief off of her. She rubbed her wrists and turned around to face him again. Her eyes met his and once again saw the sincerity. "Emma." She said simply to answer his question.

"Well, Emma, we need your help with something. If you succeed, you will be returned home safe and sound. For now you will remain here until we can convince you that you have our trust. Understand? Oh, and here. This is for you." Hook handed a small satchel to Emma through the cell bars. She reached for the bag and took it from him. Inside was a canteen filled with water and some food to last her for the night. Emma was too frightened that she forgot how hungry she was since she did not get to finish her piece of freshly baked bread.

"Thank you. What exactly to you want from me? Who are you?" Emma found her voice and decided that it was time for her to be brave and not be frightened anymore.

Hook knew that this would eventually come up. "The name is Killian Jones. I am better known as Captain Hook," he said as he ran his fingers over the hook. "As for what we want with you, you're the Princess. If your father and mother want their daughter back, then they'll do anything to get you back. They have a law against us that we cannot enter the kingdom. There was an incident several years ago that led to our ban. They see us as danger and a problem to their precious kingdom. What we want is there. What we want you to do is to convince them to pardon the law against us."

"What makes you think that I would help someone who kidnapped me against my will?"

"I know how to charm and woo a young woman like yourself," Hook said with his seductive charm and raised one of his eyebrows in a playful manner. "I know I'll have you convinced to help us once this is all over." Emma rolled her eyes at how he acted. He was acting cocky and it irritated her. She highly doubted that she would actually help him. She had to think of a way to get home once they released her; she just did not know how yet. Hook was amused by her reaction. "Get some rest and eat up. I'll be back to talk to you in the morning." He turned from her and walked out of the cave. Emma was left alone in her cell. She sat down on the bed and ate the food he provided her. Once she finished, Emma laid down on the bed and wrapped her cloak around her for warmth. It did not take long before her exhaustion got the best of her as she drifted to sleep.

Hook returned to his Captain's Quarters and shut the door behind him. Emma kept coming to mind. The princess was fairly beautiful with her long wavy blonde hair and physical appearance. She certainly took after her mother with being known for her beauty. There was something about her spirit that made him chuckle. She was a feisty young woman who wanted to be adventurous. He knew that his plan might just work. Now he only hoped that he could convince Emma to cooperate. There was a lot of risk involved and he was naturally fearful that something would interrupt everything he had worked for. He still had two enemies lurking in the world. One was in the Enchanted Forest, the other was in Neverland. He had his crew members take shifts surrounding the campsite to keep watch for either of them. Nothing ever went right for him since he first arrived to this world when he lost his brother, then later his former lover. Emma was his only chance, his only hope.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The ropes were wrapped around Emma tightly with a final tug of a crew member. She could feel a sack placed over her head to keep her from seeing what was about to happen to her. The pirates were cackling as she was lifted into the air and placed in a sitting position on the side of the ship. Her heart raced until she was pushed into the water, struggling to breathe once she started to sink. She tossed and turned until the sound of a hook tapping against iron woke her up. Her vision was blurry at first until she focused on Hook sitting on a stool in front of her cell. "Did I wake you, love?" he asked her with a light chuckle. "You seemed like you were not having a very pleasant sleep."

"Not in particular," Emma grumbled as she sat up and stretched. She rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes and ran her fingers through her blonde locks to soothe out the bed hair. The blonde shook her head to get the nightmare she had out of her head. It was just a nightmare and she had to keep reminding herself that that is all it was. Not all pirates are like those, right? She glanced over at Killian who was admiring her until she caught him. "What? Is it not every day that you have a damsel in distress in your prison? You might as well paint a picture. It will last longer. You could at least show respect to royalty."

"My apologies, princess. I just think that since we're going to be spending a lot of time together, we might as well get to know one another." He flashed a grin at his idea. He wanted Emma to feel comfortable in his presence so that she can follow through with his plan. It was critical that she trusted him in order for this to work.

"Seriously? What could you possibly want to know about me?" Emma was a little taken aback by the idea. She still knew where he was going with this. She never had someone other than her parents to talk about who she was or what she was like. Where would she start? What should she say? Would he even find her interesting or would he just laugh? Emma did not want to sound like an idiot in front of him. She was surprised by her own thoughts when she realized what she sounded like.

"You're intriguing. Surely there must be something about you other than the whole princess part." Hook decided to tell about himself first to ease the hesitation he saw in Emma. "I wasn't always a pirate. I was a commoner who worked for a King in another kingdom. My brother and I came here to Neverland in search of a plant; only to find out that the plant was deadly and he was going to use it on his son. His son was taking back the kingdom and putting him out of power. He wanted his son and his fiancé eliminated. My brother was killed by the plant. As for myself, I went against the King and took over the crew. We became pirates and have been sailing the seas since then." Emma was shocked over the story he told her. She could see in his eyes that he was truly being honest. He was not like other pirates as she thought earlier. He became a pirate by rebelling against a ruthless King who wanted him to do his dirty deeds. Emma had respect for him and his reasons. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. The last part of the story sounded familiar to one she knows too well.

"Who was the King you worked for?" Emma asked curiously to know if she was right about her thought process.

"It was King George," Hook said as he furrowed his eyebrows. He was wondering where the blonde princess was going with this.

"King George was my father's stepfather. So if we're talking about the same King. You saved my parents' lives?" Hook's eyes widened when he put the puzzle pieces together. Had he saved Emma's parents' lives? He stood up and paced slowly around the cave to think about this revelation. Emma watched him curiously as she stood up from her spot and walked to the cell bars, resting her hands on them. "Killian? Thank you." Hook stopped pacing when he heard her call him Killian and thank him. He had a soft smile on his face, but he did not let Emma see it. He turned to look at her and walked closer to where she stood at the cell door.

"You're welcome, Emma. I didn't know you would be their daughter. It's a small world after all." His eyes were locked on hers. Their faces were inches from each other. Emma could feel a connection with him. She wanted to repay him for what he did for her family. It was the least she could do. Now all she had to do was to convince her parents to agree with her decision. Her heart was racing as he slowly leaned in closer to her. Hook was interrupted when he heard someone call for him. "I'll be back in a moment. Until then, I'll have someone come in and bring you breakfast." He took a few steps back and turned on his heels. He glanced over his shoulder at the blonde once more before he disappeared from sight. It was not only a few moments later before a wench entered the cave with a tray of food for her. Emma thanked her as she sat on the bed and began to eat. She was brought a refilled canteen of water along with fruit and a sort of porridge. The hot bowl of porridge was just what she needed. A hot meal can always make a difference. Emma set the bowl down and took a few bites of the fruit. She glanced up as she was eating the berries to see the wench smirking at her. "What?" Emma began to feel dazed as she struggled to keep her composure. Her eyes were fluttering open and closed as the tray of food fell out of her lap and onto the floor. The last thing that Emma remembers seeing before going unconscious was the wench standing over her, glaring down at her.

Hook finished meeting with his right-hand man, Smee, about their plans of returning to the Enchanted Forest once Emma was ready. He stayed in his cabin for a few moments longer to think about what had happened earlier with Emma. If he went through with the King's plan, she may not have been here today. There was something else that could not escape his mind. The connection he shared with her was something he had not experienced in so long. This time it seemed different, and he could not explain it. Was the pirate finding love in his heart again? Yes, he was attracted to the young woman. She had an effect on him. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror. Could he really fall for a woman like Emma? He knew now may not be the right time to acknowledge his feelings. Suddenly, he felt something strange. He could sense something was wrong. "Emma..." Hook rushed out of his cabin and ran into the cave. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the cell was empty. The food she ate was scattered on the floor as if she had dropped it. His gaze caught sight of a note on a cell door. He snatched the note and read it to himself, "I'm glad that you did my dirty work for me. The princess is now in my custody, bloody pirate. You should really learn who to put your trust in while you're in /my/ kingdom of Neverland." Hook knew instantly who the wench really was in disguise. He gritted his teeth together and muttered, "Pan..." After dropping the note, he ran to his crew members and formed his men together for a rescue mission. Emma needed him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Writer's Note: Here's a short and quick update. I've been busy and sick. The next chapter will be longer, promise! Enjoy this chapter.**

**Chapter 4**

Emma regained consciousness and looked around to see where she was. It looked like she was somewhere in a cave. There were holes carved in the wall that brought the sunlight inside so she could see where she was, despite being inside a dark cave. The cave was large and spacious compared to the other she had been in. Whoever that was who brought her here must have had reason to get her away from Hook. She sat up when she realized that she was in yet another cage, a smaller one this time. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Pan appeared on a cliff nearby her cage. To Emma, he looked like a teenager. He was certainly younger looking than her. How could he have possibly gotten hold of her? It dawned on her that he must have the ability to take the appearance of another. That was the only reason she could think of. At this point, she should have expected anything in the Enchanted Forest. Magic had so many possibilities.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" Emma interrogated him. She was just about to go home when she was kidnapped, yet again. Her temper was getting short. She just wanted to be free from her kidnappers and in the presence of her parents again. Pan flew closer towards Emma with a smirk on his face.

"Well I'm Peter Pan. I can sense when people enter and leave Neverland. I know everything that happens on this island. Nothing gets past me. I knew you were here the moment you arrived with Captain Hook. Didn't he tell you why he brought you here? He has been deceiving you, Emma. Everything that he told you was a set up. Do you honestly think that a pirate would be soft and kind? He's using you to get what he wants. As for me, I'm just doing you a favor. I'm helping you." Deep down, Emma knew that Pan was lying, but she could not show it. She knew that Pan was capable of doing things that could be costly.

"He's been lying to me? How could he do that to me? But why am I still in a cage? Don't you people know how to treat a princess?" Emma asked him curiously.

"Because if you deceive me, look down." Pan moved his glare from her, to the ground below them. Emma followed his glance and saw that there was a pond beneath them. She squinted her eyes to get a closer look. Was there something moving in the water? Her eyes widened as she saw crocodiles swimming around the pond. "No one messes with Pan, Emma. One wrong move, they'll be getting another swimming partner." Pan disappeared in thin air. Emma was frightened more than ever. She feared for Hook's sake more than her own. He could be on a rescue mission for her and walk straight into a trap.

Meanwhile, Hook finished organizing his crew and split them up into groups. They all searched the forest day and night for the lost princess. His patience was growing thin. There were no signs of footprints, other than their own, that could lead them in the right direction. What could have happened to Emma kept him worried. If anything happened to her, he would never dig himself out of the hole he was in. Her parents would never allow himself and the other pirates anything involving their kingdom. Just as his group went to investigate a cave with him on watch outside, a familiar presence behind him that sent chills down his spine. His teeth gritted as he turned around to face the boy he was hunting down. "What could you possibly want now? What have you done with her?"

"Hello to you too, Hook. Looking for something?" Pan said with a teasing nature as he jumped down from a tree branch to the ground in front of Hook. He had a knowing and victorious look on his face. The dagger darting glare from Hook's eyes was enough for Pan to satisfy his amusement.

"The princess. Where is she?" Hook rested his hand on top of his sword as he kept a close watch on Pan. He repeated his previous questions since the boy was obviously avoiding giving any information to him. "What do you want?"

"Ah yes, her. I may have seen her, maybe not. What is it that is so special about her? It's not like you need her for anything important."

Hook seethed at him and pushed him against the tree, pinning his hands against the tree trunk. Pan knew exactly where she was and he wanted to find her, to save her. "Tell me now or your life ends. My future depends on Emma Swan."

Pan was taken aback at the sudden actions. He quickly disappeared from Hook's grasp and reappeared behind him. "You might want to think before you act, pirate. Do that again and Emma will no longer be someone to worry about." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Swan necklace that Emma had worn earlier. Pan tossed the necklace at Hook and gave one final threat before vanishing, "Tick tock, pirate."

Killian caught the necklace in his hand and looked it over. Thoughts were running through his mind: Emma, where she could be, tick tock? What could he have meant by tick tock? The realization hit him when he remembered the two things that Pan had always managed to frighten him off with; crocodiles and time. The only place in Neverland that was a home to crocodiles was a pond inside Pan's hideout; Skull Rock. Of course! Why had he not thought of that earlier? Emma was in danger and he knew that he did not have much time to act. He clutched the necklace in his hand before placing it safely in his coat pocket. "I'm coming for you, Emma. Men! Back to the Jolly Roger! We have a princess to save." The men returned to the Jolly Roger and strategically planned their rescue mission. He knew that it was going to be a set up, but he could feel that Emma was there. They planned to get into smaller boats for an escape and he would sail the Jolly Roger to distract Pan. They would sail just after the sun set.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Emma had leaned back against the cage and occasionally glanced at the crocodiles below her. She hoped that Killian would save her. She did not want to end up as crocodile bait. Her glance moved over to the carving in the cave. The sun was beginning to set over the sea. The colors that spread across the sky and reflected into the sea were beautiful beyond belief. The sun displayed a dark orange that reminded her of the flowers that grew outside her castle. The purple and pink colored clouds resembled the color of the ball gowns her mother wore. She missed her parents. She wondered if they were looking for her also, or even if they noticed. What was left of the blue sky made her think of Killian. Those blue eyes of his were something that she would never forget. The way he looked at her gave her a feeling she has not felt before. The thought caused her to smile as she watched the light leave the day.

Killian was sailing across the sea with the select few crew members; the others were following not too far behind in the smaller row boats. He could see Skull Rock approaching in the distance; the sun was setting just behind it. He wondered if Emma was watching it also. It was too beautiful for a woman like herself to just ignore, even if she was tougher than she appeared. Emma's safety and her rescue was all that was important to him at the moment. He just wanted to see her again. Killian waited until it was night to sail in closer. The anchor fell into the water until it hooked onto the sea floor, slowing the ship to a stop. He walked onto the deck and waited for Pan to appear. It would not be long until Pan took the opportunity of the pirate alone on his ship. His instincts were right when Pan flew overhead and landed just a few feet away.

"Well look what we have here. You came alone? That's not very wise in order to save your precious princess."

"Aye, it may not be wise to be alone, but I can handle a young lad like yourself."

"And how do you plan on doing that, pirate?"

"With this," Hook held up a magic bean with a sly smirk before he tossed it into the sea. Just as the portal began to open, he grabbed hold of a distracted Pan and pinned him against the side of the ship. Hook kept an eye on the portal and waited for the right moment before he tossed the young lad overboard. Pan believed he was smarter than Hook when he disappeared from his grasp.

"Did you really think that you could defeat me that easily?"

"I don't give up without a fight." Hook pulled his sword out of his holster and seethed his teeth at Pan. He knew this was it. That portal was opening and one of them was going in. Killian's motivation to get to Emma and to get her to safety gave him the strength and courage he needed. Pan would never pass up a fight. He reached for another sword and instantly went into a sword fight with the pirate. Steel swords clashed against each other as the two men moved across the ship's deck to defend themselves; but also to weaken their opponent. Even for a one handed pirate, Killian's sword fighting skills impressed Pan; even if he did not want to admit it. The two had gotten distracted by the fight that they did not notice how much larger the portal had grown. Killian could see it at the corner of his eye that if one of them did not go overboard soon, the entire ship would be sucked in with both of them on board. Emma's image appeared in his mind. Emma needed him. This gave him the strength he needed to push Pan to his limits. The extra burst of strength caused Pan to stumble; this is just the opportunity Killian needed as he pushed Pan over the edge of the ship. His hook got caught in the fabric of Pan's shirt as the pirate was pulled down into the water with him. Just as the two surfaced, the current from the open portal dragged them around. Killian swam as hard as he could to fight the current and to get back to his ship. He was having no luck as he was pulled down into the portal. His plan to get back to Emma had failed; but at least she would be safe from Pan. Hook and Pan sank into the water as their presence disappeared from Neverland.

Emma could sense that Pan was gone from the cave because of the eerie quiet tone left behind. She had just laid down in the cage to rest for the night when she heard the murmur of men approaching the cave. She peered through the cage bars and saw what looked like sparkly dust fills the pond below. The movements of the crocodiles stilled as a row boat entered the cave opening. This was it; it was her rescue. Smee found the lever and lowered the cage into the row boat. Emma was freed after the men picked the lock. Her eyes scanned the men in the boat to search for the familiar dark haired man with fair blue eyes, only to find him missing from the head count. She saw the Jolly Roger not too far behind them and assumed he was there waiting. None of them knew what had happened to their Captain until they reached the ship and climbed on board. Killian Jones was nowhere in sight. What they all feared came true. Emma had high hopes of being reunited with the man who she thought cared so deeply for her. She was interrupted by her thoughts when Smee came up to her and handed her a note. "The Captain wished me to give you this."

Emma took the note in her hands Killian left for her. Instantly she knew that he did everything he could to save her. He had everything planned and set up from the tone. Emma read the message carefully and took in every word to heart.

"Princess,

This mission is far more dangerous than you can imagine. Pan is immortal and the only way he cannot survive is by going to another realm without magic. If I don't see you after my men get you to safety, I wish you the best. I hope we meet again someday. I'll never forget the beauty I see in your green eyes.

-Killian"

Smee waited until he noticed that Emma stopped reading before he spoke up. "The Captain requested us to return you home once you were safe. We'll set sail for the Enchanted Forest once you are ready."

Emma did not make eye contact with him, but gave him a simple nod in approval. It was enough to let him know that she was ready to get home. They sailed through the night as she sat in the Captain's Cabin below deck. She rested on the bed and took in his scent left behind on his pillow. He risked his life for her sake. It was something that she would never forget or leave her heart. Before she knew it, the sunlight filled the room and woke her up. She had fallen asleep sometime during the night. There was a slight glimmer of hope as she ascended the ladder to the top deck to find Killian. The sight that she was presented with instead was someone else steering them towards the dock of the familiar kingdom. Emma could see her family's castle sitting on the top of the hill with the mountains behind it and the village resting at the bottom of the hill. She was home. She was escorted off of the ship and onto the dock. She gave a simple "Thank you" before she began her walk up to the castle. Emma took her time to think about how to explain everything that happened to her parents. They would ask her plenty of questions of her whereabouts and would look quickly for someone to blame. She decided to enter through the same back door that she escaped from what seemed like just days ago. The halls seemed quiet than usual, but she knew where they could be. She peaked into the throne room and saw her parents sitting in their chairs and having a conversation. A hug from her mother was something Emma did not realize that she needed until she saw her. David and Snow's attention looked up when they heard someone running towards them; instantly recognizing that their daughter has returned. Snow's motherly instincts told her to stand up and meet her daughter halfway with open arms. Emma wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and buried her head in her shoulder. The comfort that Snow gave her allowed Emma to finally break down the emotions she had been holding back for far too long.


End file.
